D3football.com Poll | AFCA Poll

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's University football team ended the season ranked as high as No. 3 nationally in the final American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) and D3football.com polls of 2019.

SJU climbed five spots to No. 3 in the final AFCA poll released Monday, Dec. 23, and moved up to No. 4 in the D3football.com rankings posted Dec. 22.

The Johnnies have now finished in the polls' top 15 each of the past six seasons.

SJU (12-2, 7-1 MIAC) won a share of its MIAC-record 34th conference title and made its sixth consecutive postseason appearance (30th overall, 26th in Division III), advancing to the national semifinals, this fall.

The Johnnies ended the 2019 season ranked in the NCAA Division III's top 12 in six statistical categories: second in first downs (339) and passing offense (371.4 ypg.), sixth in passing efficiency (178.49) and total offense (512.9 ypg.), seventh in interceptions (19) and 12th in takeaways (28). 

Individually, senior quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) led Division III in passing yards (5,040) and passing yards per game (360.0), finished second in total offense (364.3 ypg.), third in passing touchdowns (47), fifth in both pass-efficiency rating (178.2) and points responsible for (290), sixth in yards per pass attempt (10.31) and eighth in yards per completion (16.10).

Sophomore wide receiver Ravi Alston (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Vista Murrieta) finished third nationally with 1,444 receiving yards.

Alston, Erdmann, senior offensive tackle Ben Bartch (Dayton, Ore./Blanchet Catholic), senior guard Dan Greenheck (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall), senior cornerback Chris Harris (Lake Elsinore, Calif.), junior defensive end/linebacker Danny Pietruszewski (South St. Paul, Minn.) and senior defensive tackle J.W. Windsor (Mesa, Ariz./Chandler) earned All-America honors Dec. 20.

The seven awardees bring the total to 106 SJU football student-athletes who have earned All-America honors a total of 139 times.